16 September, 2008 If your child is born at midnight of December 16 this year, he or she will be designated the Centenary Child. Know any Bhutanese born before or in 1907, bring him along to be recognised as the Centenary Citizen.
Wear your traditional dress and join hundreds of others like you in a walk across the capital carrying the national flag, singing a theme song.
These are some of the programmes, which come with a host of events and activities spread over 42 days to mark the Coronation and Centenary occasions in the capital from November 6 to December 17.
With six themes for each week of the celebration, the events include, among others, nine major concerts, exhibitions of books and art to encapsulate the journey Bhutan has taken in the last 100 years, campaigns on social issues, quiz competitions and food festivals.
Venues and opportunities will also be created for people to assemble and express their solidarity, while hundreds will be encouraged to join the centenary marathon to raise national sentiment and run against corruption.
The “ambitious” initiative titled Citizen’s Initiative for Centenary and Coronation Celebrations (CICCC) was proposed by three private business houses- TG Media and Infotainment, Bhutan Times and Centennial Radio.
With support from the government, corporate and private sectors, foreign companies with associations with Bhutan, and individuals will be encouraged to get involved in contribution to the celebrations.
The organisers said that each event will be designed with a theme, to make the celebrations meaningful and participatory.
“It’s a government-private partnership initiative to celebrate the events together,” said Dorji Wangchuk, director for infrastructure and international relations. “We felt that we would die of remorse if we were just bystanders to such a historic event”.
He said that they were not looking at it as a business venture but taking the initiative to offer services and expertise in terms of mobilising events and entertainment. “We’ll be providing an umbrella under which anybody interested in contributing could come in,” he said.
The organisers intend to raise money mainly through sponsorships.
“We’re not making it a donation here but, instead, we would tie the programmes with relevant organisations, utilise their fund well and give back double the value,” said shows, events, and entertainment director, Tshering Gyeltshen.
A major publicity and mass consciousness will be created through banners and bills and all events telecast live to engage the entire nation, according to the organisers.
“W’re media entities, event managers and entertainment companies, if we don’t do this, who would,” said Tenzin Rigden, project coordinator and promotions director.
By Kesang Dema
kesang64@kuensel.com.bt
